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FaultScore report

1990 Lexus ES250 problems

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 1990 Lexus ES250 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2014. The largest single group is the airbags.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Lexus ES250
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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

12

Complaints

9

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

7

Injuries reported

How 1990 compares with every other Lexus ES250

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1990 Lexus ES250

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Airbags 6 50.0%

5 crashes, 0 fires · median 74,000 mi

Brakes 2 16.7%

2 crashes, 0 fires

Seat Belts 1 8.3%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Fuel & Propulsion 1 8.3%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 8.3%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 74,000 mi

Suspension 1 8.3%

Median failure at 160,000 miles

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

May 1995 peak 2 Apr 2014

NHTSA investigations into the 1990 Lexus ES250

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

EA97008 Opened 23 Apr 1997 Closed 22 Apr 1998 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

LEAKING FUEL TANK

CRACKS IN THE SOLDER JOINT OF THE FUEL FILL OR INLET PIPE IN THE FUEL TANK ALLOWS LIQUID FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK

PE97003 Opened 21 Jan 1997 Closed 23 Apr 1997 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

LEAKING FUEL TANK

CRACKS IN THE SOLDER JOINT OF THE FUEL FILL OR INLET PIPE IN THE FUEL TANK ALLOWS LIQUID FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 74,000 miles Palo Alto, CA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

WHILE PULLING INSIDE A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A BRICK WALL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP REQUESTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK *SC

NHTSA complaint #10071980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 74,000 miles Palo Alto, CA Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE PULLING INSIDE A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A BRICK WALL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP REQUESTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK *SC

NHTSA complaint #10071980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Buffalo Grove, IL 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHEN CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY ABOUT 60 MPH, HER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A REASON. SHE GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO SEE IF SHE HAD HIT ANY THING, BUT DID NOT FIND ANY POTHOLES, NOR ANY OBSTACLES AND NO DAMAGES ON HER VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #825864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yonkers, NY Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION CAUSED CERVICAL SPINE DAMAGE. DUP OF 812606, ADDED ON 25-FEB-98.

NHTSA complaint #519472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yonkers, NY Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT SHOULDER STRAP FAILED IN ACCIDENT BECAUSE STRAP WAS NOT ADJUSTABLE.

NHTSA complaint #519472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yonkers, NY Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING AT 10-15 MPH THERE WAS A SMALL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER SEVERE DAMAGE TO HER UPPER BODY. DRIVER IS NOW DISABLED FOR LIFE BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING. SHE HAS HAD SEVERAL OPERATIONS ON HER NECK. DEALER WAS A WARE OF THE AIR BAG PROBLEM, AND DID NOT WARN ANY OWNERS OF THE DEFECT OF THE AIR BAG.

NHTSA complaint #812606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 160,000 miles Chicago, IL

SUSPENSION

THEY WONT HONOR THE RECALL THE PHONE NUMBER GIVEN IS A BUSY SIGNAL AND THE CAR CANT DRIVE CAUSE THE STRUTS ARE REALLY BAD. WHAT CAN I DO?

NHTSA complaint #10584820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 74,000 miles Palo Alto, CA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

WHILE PULLING INSIDE A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A BRICK WALL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP REQUESTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK *SC

NHTSA complaint #10071980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 74,000 miles Palo Alto, CA Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE PULLING INSIDE A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A BRICK WALL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP REQUESTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK *SC

NHTSA complaint #10071980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Buffalo Grove, IL 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHEN CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY ABOUT 60 MPH, HER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A REASON. SHE GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO SEE IF SHE HAD HIT ANY THING, BUT DID NOT FIND ANY POTHOLES, NOR ANY OBSTACLES AND NO DAMAGES ON HER VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #825864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yonkers, NY Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION CAUSED CERVICAL SPINE DAMAGE. DUP OF 812606, ADDED ON 25-FEB-98.

NHTSA complaint #519472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yonkers, NY Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT SHOULDER STRAP FAILED IN ACCIDENT BECAUSE STRAP WAS NOT ADJUSTABLE.

NHTSA complaint #519472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yonkers, NY Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING AT 10-15 MPH THERE WAS A SMALL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER SEVERE DAMAGE TO HER UPPER BODY. DRIVER IS NOW DISABLED FOR LIFE BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING. SHE HAS HAD SEVERAL OPERATIONS ON HER NECK. DEALER WAS A WARE OF THE AIR BAG PROBLEM, AND DID NOT WARN ANY OWNERS OF THE DEFECT OF THE AIR BAG.

NHTSA complaint #812606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sacamento, CA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

OWNER WAS DRIVING CAR WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, RESULTING IN AN INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #809235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mesa, AZ Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING 15-20MPH, DRIVER CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR .THE MASTER CYLNDER IS LEAKING AIR INTO BRAKE LINE AND CONTAMINATED BRAKE FLUID.

NHTSA complaint #809195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mesa, AZ Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING 15-20MPH, DRIVER CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR .THE MASTER CYLNDER IS LEAKING AIR INTO BRAKE LINE AND CONTAMINATED BRAKE FLUID.

NHTSA complaint #809195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saddle RIV, NJ Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE FULLY IN FRONT END COLLISION.

NHTSA complaint #507581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newport News, VA Fire

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. TT

NHTSA complaint #965983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.